Temperature compensation mechanism for a micromechanical ring resonator
First Claim
1. A time base comprising a resonator and an integrated electronic circuit for driving said resonator into oscillation and for producing, in response to said oscillation, a signal having a determined frequency, said resonator being an integrated micromechanical ring resonator supported above a substrate and adapted to oscillate around an axis of rotation substantially perpendicular to said substrate, said ring resonator comprising:
- a central post extending from said substrate along said axis of rotation;
a free-standing oscillating structure connected to said central post and including an outer ring coaxial with said axis of rotation and connected to said central post by means of a plurality of spring elements; and
electrode structures disposed around said outer ring and connected to said integrated electronic circuit, wherein said free-standing oscillating structure further comprises a plurality of thermally compensating members, said thermally compensating members being adapted to alter a mass moment of inertia of said free-standing oscillating structure as a function of temperature so as to compensate for the effect of temperature on the resonant frequency of the ring resonator.
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Abstract
There is described a time base comprising a resonator (4) and an integrated electronic circuit (3) for driving the resonator into oscillation and for producing, in response to the oscillation, a signal having a determined frequency. The resonator is an integrated micromechanical ring resonator supported above a substrate (2) and adapted to oscillate around an axis of rotation (O) substantially perpendicular to the substrate, the ring resonator comprising a central post (5) extending from the substrate along the axis of rotation, a free-standing oscillating structure (6) connected to the central post and including an outer ring (60) coaxial with the axis of rotation and connected to the central post by means of a plurality of spring elements (62), and electrode structures (9; 9*) disposed around the outer ring and connected to the integrated electronic circuit. The free-standing oscillating structure further comprises a plurality of thermally compensating members (65) which are adapted to alter a mass moment of inertia of the free-standing oscillating structure as a function of temperature so as to compensate for the effect of temperature on the resonant frequency of the ring resonator.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A time base comprising a resonator and an integrated electronic circuit for driving said resonator into oscillation and for producing, in response to said oscillation, a signal having a determined frequency, said resonator being an integrated micromechanical ring resonator supported above a substrate and adapted to oscillate around an axis of rotation substantially perpendicular to said substrate, said ring resonator comprising:
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a central post extending from said substrate along said axis of rotation;
a free-standing oscillating structure connected to said central post and including an outer ring coaxial with said axis of rotation and connected to said central post by means of a plurality of spring elements; and
electrode structures disposed around said outer ring and connected to said integrated electronic circuit, wherein said free-standing oscillating structure further comprises a plurality of thermally compensating members, said thermally compensating members being adapted to alter a mass moment of inertia of said free-standing oscillating structure as a function of temperature so as to compensate for the effect of temperature on the resonant frequency of the ring resonator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A resonator in the form of an integrated micromechanical ring resonator supported above a substrate and adapted to oscillate around an axis of rotation substantially perpendicular to said substrate, said ring resonator comprising
a central post extending from said substrate along said axis of rotation; - and
a free-standing oscillating structure connected to said central post and including an outer ring coaxial with said axis of rotation and connected to said central post by means of a plurality of spring elements, wherein said free-standing oscillating structure further comprises a plurality of thermally compensating members, said thermally compensating members being adapted to alter a mass moment of inertia of said free-standing oscillating structure as a function of temperature so as to compensate for the effect of temperature on the resonant frequency of the ring resonator. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification